3 Reasons Leaders Should Appreciate Opposition
by Matt Monge
Opposition is critical for leaders. Yes, you read that correctly. Opposition is important for leaders.
Every leader I’ve ever known for any significant period of time has described some sort of opposition they’ve faced at some point along the way. Usually it’s opposition to an idea they have or a decision they’ve either made or are in the process of making. And believe me–any time you make a decision within an organizational setting, unless you have an organization full of zombies, there will be some who disagree, perhaps even vocally.
But again–I think that’s not only a good thing, but also an important thing. Opposition should be thought of differently for a few reasons.
First, it shows that people are thinking. If they weren’t thinking, they wouldn’t respond; and you definitely want them to be doing both. Opposition is evidence that folks are at least somewhat mentally engaged in the organization. Perhaps they have a crappy attitude, and maybe they express their opposition in ways that aren’t necessarily helpful; but as leaders, we can still think through the substance of their thoughts.